Phoenix Rising
by Bousan'sHanayome
Summary: Sequel to "Into The Fire". More detailed summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

_**Six months after the events in "Fire", we catch up with the Winchesters on the road again. Things are going as usual and the boys are just doing what they do best: kicking supernatural ass. Only their goal has changed: having sent the Yellow-Eyed Demon back to the depths of hell, the boys now have to stop the hordes of demons set free on earth and save Dean's soul from hell in under 10 months. So much for down time…**_

_**In spite of the threat from demonic activity, life has gone on for the extended family of Winchesters and Harvelles. Construction has begun on a new Roadhouse. Erin has returned to college to finish the work she put into a degree and moved back home with the Arlingtons. Jo has begun a job at Janey Cox's coffee shop/supernatural bookstore. **_

_**Regardless of his womanizing past, Dean's managed to keep his relationship with Jo intact (despite Ellen's repeated death threats). Sam, on the other hand, has established a close friendship with Erin through phone calls and email, despite only seeing her twice since the hunt for Kelsey.**_

_**In light of the recent events, and with Dean and Jo's sixth month anniversary approaching, the Winchesters return to Nebraska for an extended stay. While there they meet a variety of people, including a real life "Cheaper by the Dozen"- the Arlingtons and their 14 kids- and a group of hunters that have commandeered Bill Harvelle's old deer camp since the destruction of the Roadhouse. Not mention Janey's gay coworker and supernatural raconteur, Abe, and Erin's ex fiancée Case.**_

_**But things aren't as serene as they seem. Dean and Jo struggle to keep their relationship intact despite the mark on his life. Meanwhile, Erin and Sam must deal with errant psychic powers. Sam's telekinesis is growing exponentially and Erin has developed a unique form of telekinesis: the ability to manipulate inaudible vibrations. It just gets worse when more problems arise to threaten the little foursome: an ex, the job, and an appearance by Erin's father.**_

_**But it's the resurfacing of Kelsey that threatens everything. With the Yellow-Eyed demon eliminated, another reason must be the cause of Kelsey's homicidal tendencies. When Erin hears the news of her sister's crimes against fellow hunters, she must make a heartbreaking decision.**_

_**Will she make the choice to eliminate her only sibling to protect her new family? Or will she sacrifice everything (including Sam) to save a lost cause? **_

_**And Dean, torn between his own feelings and the job, must make one as well. Will he stand up and take on the responsibility of killing Kelsey to save his new 'sister' from her own guilt? Or will he forgo Erin's well-being to ensure the outcome of a hunt?**_

_**Whatever the outcome, Erin will learn that there's only room for one set of siblings in this business. In order to save one, the other must be sacrificed…**_

**Phoenix Rising**

"Dean, would you cut it out?"

The request came from none other than the youngest Winchester brother, who was slumped in the passenger seat of the Chevy Impala. Beside him, Dean was pushing 80 on the speedometer, rocking out some Metallica song. The older brother paused briefly in his singing to glance sideways at his sibling.

"Cut what out?"

"Your singing."

"Why?"

Sam gestured to the phone in his right hand with an annoyed look. With a sigh, Dean obligingly turned the radio down and waited.

It had been six months since the hunt that had almost ended Erin and Sam's lives. Their injuries had healed, and the mental strain had begun to dissipate. Despite the severity of the encounter with Kelsey, the four of them had grown close. Dean had managed to keep his relationship with Jo semi-solid, and Sam was talking to Erin on the phone nearly every day.

Things had taken a turn for the worst when, after kidnapping Sam and forcing him to play a demonic version of "Survivor", the demon almost accomplished his plan by unleashing an army of demonic spawn on the earth. Fortunately, the demon was taken out before he could assume power.

_Unfortunately_, even with the yellow-eyed demon eliminated things weren't looking so optimistic for the side of good. The gate to hell had been shut, but not before a staggering number of demons escaped. The Roadhouse had burned to the ground, drastically lowering the number of hunters able to fight.

Ellen miraculously survived, saved by a run for pretzels. Erin and Jo were fortunate enough to be out on a hunt, but Ash hadn't been so lucky. And due to the demon's twisted sense of humor, there were few known "special kids" left. Sam, Erin, and Kelsey were the only ones that were left out of the original list. Not to mention the Winchesters hadn't fared so well in the last fight.

They had survived, but barely. Sam scarcely avoided death, but the price of his life had been the marking of Dean's soul. As it was, the older Winchester had a little over 10 months left. Something that Jo was not taking well, despite Sam's adamant vow to save his brother from an untimely death.

But perhaps the most surprising development during this entire disturbance was the growing relationship between Dean and Erin. At the hospital after the attack, Dean had joked about being Erin's pseudo-brother. But as time went on, it was becoming less of a joke. They talked regularly on the phone, and Dean had realized that Erin was one of the few people besides Jo and Sam that got him. At some point he realized that there were some things that Erin understood about him that the others would never get. At the very least, the brunette was becoming a close friend to the eldest Winchester.

After a few moments, Sam hung up the phone and cleared his throat uneasily. "Jo says hi."

Dean grinned at his brother's face. "What's the matter?"

"Dude, why can't _you_ talk to your girlfriend? It's kind of creepy listening to her talk about you. She gets emotional and….mushy. Especially when she starts talking about…the thing. Then she starts crying. Or screaming. I really hate the screaming."

"Oh, get over it. I had to put up with the same thing when I called Erin last week. Every other word was 'Sam this' and 'Sam that'. I'm telling you, you've got a stalker."

Sam decided to ignore the jab about his and Erin's relationship. "What was that about anyway? You stayed on the phone with her for over an hour. What were you guys talking about?"

"Making plans. I had to talk her into going shopping with me."

"_Shopping_? Who are you and what did you do with Dean?"

"Haha, smartass. I want her to help me find Jo something."

"Not only do you have a girlfriend, but you're buying her stuff. Being faced with the threat of eternal hellfire has changed you, man."

"Just shut up until we get there."

* * *

The Impala pulled into the driveway of an old farmhouse around 3:00. The house was in slightly haphazard shape, but it was still an impressive structure nonetheless. A dingy white with blue trim, the house had a comforting, homey quality to it.

Before either one of them could make it out of the vehicle entirely, the front door banged opened. The sight of Ellen drying her hands on a dishrag greeted the brother's as they made their way up the walk to the house. She smiled, relieved to see the two younger men.

In the six months since the hunt for Kelsey, Ellen had changed slightly. It was true that the loss of the Roadhouse had hurt; Ash's and the other hunters' deaths had hurt more. But more importantly, that incident had given the older Harvelle a new strength. Sam had asked her about her new outlook one night, a couple of weeks after the fight in the graveyard. Ellen had regarded him somberly over a shot of Jack.

"That night in the graveyard, I stood and looked hell in the face. After that, Sam, I think I can handle any shit the other side decides to throw at us."

Now the older woman warmly embraced both of the brothers as they came up the steps. While no one could ever replace Mary Winchester in the boys' minds, Ellen was fast becoming like a second mother to them. And like any mother, she worried about them.

"What in the hell took you two so long? You were supposed to be here an hour ago."

Ellen threw the rag over her shoulder and glared at the two of them. Sam coughed uncomfortably while Dean rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Um, about that….Look, we're sorry."

"See, Dean got a craving for M&Ms."

Ellen shot Sam an incredulous look. "Sam, how the hell do M&Ms make you two late? Or do I want to know?"

"Well, Dean only likes peanut M&Ms. Unfortunately, we found out there's only, like, one gas station in the entire state of Nebraska that sells them."

"Who doesn't sell peanut M&Ms? It's un-American, I tell you!"

"All right Rambo, just calm down. Anyway, ya'll took so long that Jo got tired of waiting around here for you."

Dean raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Where'd she go?"

"Erin needed help, so she headed over to Monroe's. They said for me to tell you to come on over." She sighed and shook her head, amused.

"Viviane's got a whole feast fixed up over there for you guys. She's been dying to meet you two. Course, that's only because you're potential boyfriends and therefore must be interrogated."

"Potential? I thought I got a green light!" Dean's voice had a faux-whine to it, warranting Sam to elbow him in the ribs.

"Damn it, that hurt…" He shot his brother a look and sighed.

"All right, how do we get there?"

**Author's Note: It lives! After months of neglect, I've finally managed to start working on this story again. Sorry it took so long for me to start writing the sequel, but I had other things going on. Please forgive me! Anyway, if it seems like the first chapter's boring, don't worry. Things will be getting heated up pretty soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

They pulled into a gravel drive an hour later. Dean crept up the drive slowly, the two brothers in awe.

"That's……..Erin's foster parents live here?" Dean got out and shut the door, his mouth agape.

Sam followed suit, observing the house silently. The front of the house was impressive; but the sheer size of the house overall was mind-boggling. He looked around, taking in the rest of the yard. The Challenger was parked to the side of the drive, its hood up.

"Well, Jo did say they were loaded."

The aforementioned house was done in Greek Revival style, complete with a first and second story porch. Both porches went complete around the house, yet the second story was screened in. Dean whistled appreciatively.

"Damn, how much space do they need?"

"Well, considering there's any where from 10 to 20 people living here at one time, I'd say a lot."

The voice came from behind the hood of Erin's Dodge. It was a man's voice, but whoever it was didn't sound much older than the Winchester boys. Curious, the both of them headed for the vehicle. Sam called out, unsure of what they were going to find.

"Hello?"

They stopped short as the owner of the voice appeared. A young guy, with crew-cut brunette hair and unnervingly tawny eyes, stepped out from behind the hood. He appeared to be around Dean's age. Shirtless, he was wiping his hands on a greasy rag. A crooked grin broke out on his face when he saw the men. He craned around to observe the vehicle behind him.

" '67 Impala, huh? Nice.You must John's boys, Dean and Sam." He finished cleaning his hands and offered the left one to Dean.

"Happy to finally meet you guys. The girls talk about you two all the time. Kind of annoying, if you ask me." He shook Dean's hand and moved to shake Sam's. The younger man nodded.

"And you would be……?"

"Aw, sorry. Name's Dylan; I'm Erin's older brother."

Sam gave the other man a surprised look. This was the first time he had anything of Erin having more than one sibling.

"Erin never said…." He cleared his throat and tried again when the sentence came out sounding paranoid.

"I didn't know Erin had a brother."

"Foster brother, actually. But if you didn't know about me, then I suppose she didn't tell you about the _others_." Dylan gave the two brothers a knowing look.

"Others? What'd you mean?" Dean was confused.

"While don't ya'll come on in the house. You'll see what I'm talkin' about." Dylan discarded the rag on the windshield and began walking towards the house.

Shrugging, Dean followed him and Sam fell in line. Despite Dylan's laid-back manner, he had an idea that they were in for a surprise.

Dylan turned the knob of the front door, pausing to look over his shoulder at the other two men.

"Brace yourselves, gentlemen. Things are about to get intense." With that, he pushed the door and let go, letting the door swing open on its own.

A cacophony erupted out of the house, as if that flimsy plank of wood had been holding it. Music, various genres at varying decibels, overlapped the screams and yelling of children at play. Other noises: a washer and dryer, television set, and women yelling from the kitchen over the ruckus.

Dean sidestepped out of the way as an identical set of boys boiled out of the house, immersed in an intense fight. They looked to be about 9 or 10.

Calmly, Dylan reached down at separated the two kids and held them up by the collar of their polo shirts. He glared at the disapprovingly.

"Damn it, you two. How many times have I told you: if you're gonna fight, do it in the back yard?"

The twins hung their heads (if that was possible to do, being suspended in mid air) and pouted.

"Yes sir."

He sat them down and gave the boys a stern look.

"Boys, you want to be polite and say hello to our guests? Or do I have to tell your mama that you was wrestlin' in the house?"

"Hey." The two didn't look up, but their tone of voice was respectful, nonetheless.

He sighed and shook his head.

"I like you to meet the twins, Drake and Seth. Boys, this is Sam and Dean Winchester."

The name was like a bolt of lightning to the two preteens. Their head snapped up, and the looked at the two older men as though Jesus himself had shown up at the front door.

Dean nodded at the two, smirking.

"How's it goin'?"

Immediately the twins ran back inside, apparently to tell the rest of the family. Dean shook his head while Sam smiled.

"They yours?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Dylan nodded and watched the two run down the front hall and around the corner.

"Yeah, they're mine all right. Going to be ten next month." He shook his head sadly.

"Sometimes, I wish I didn't have to raise them in this world."

"You a hunter too?" Dean folded his arms.

Dylan nodded. "Yeah, me and the wife. Shareshe, you'll meet her." He chuckled.

"If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be alive. But, enough about me. Let's get inside before I let out all the bought air." He stepped aside to let the brothers in and shut the door behind him.

* * *

They stood in the foyer, unsure of what to do next. In the back of Sam's mind he wondered where Erin was, but then again he was too busy gawking at the inside of the house to do much of anything else.

The front foyer was a huge open space, completely laid out in hardwood floors. A huge 5-tier chandelier illuminated the center of the room, and Sam had the sneaking suspicion that it wasn't done in faux crystal. On either side of the room a polished oak stairway swept up to the second floor. A variety of rooms and halls jutted off the main room, making Sam think of a maze.

He turned to Dylan, but the older man beat him to the punch.

"I don't know where Jo is, but hang on and I'll find her."

He left the two and wandered further into the room. When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he cupped his hand to his mouth.

"JO! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"

Silence met his call, and after a few minutes he tried again.

"GOD DAMN, COME GET YOUR DAMN BOYFRIEND BEFORE I START MAKIN' SMALL TALK AND TELL 'EM ABOUT THE TIME YOU MADE OUT WITH JOEY PEWTER IN THE LIBRARY AND LEFT YOUR--…"

"Finish that sentence and I'm going to make sure you can't eat solid foods for a week, _Dilly_."

The blonde came out of nowhere, nailing Dylan in the face with a dishcloth. Satisfied that he was properly silenced, she turned her attention to the older of the two brothers. Wrapping her arms around Dean's neck, she kissed him briefly before smiling at the younger man.

"It's about time you got here."

Sam smiled, relieved to see the young blonde woman. It had been almost two months since the last time they had seen the girls and, to be truthful, he had been getting worried about them. Especially with all the demonic activity that had been popping up on the radar recently.

"Sorry it took so long. We stopped by your house, but your mom said you guys were here." Dean looked down at the blonde.

"So, where is your crazy cousin?"

For a split second, a shadow of foreboding crossed Jo's face as she stepped away from Dean. As if she were aware of her expression, she turned away from the two of them.

"She's…..in the basement."

The pause in her voice didn't wasn't missed by either of the brothers. Dean gave Sam a knowing look and motioned for the younger to say something. Sam, at a loss, stared back at his brother defiantly. After all, it was _his_ girlfriend. Dean sighed reluctantly.

"What's the matter?"

If she heard him, she didn't answer. Instead, she folded her arms and shifted her weight to one hip.

Even though her stance hadn't changed much, Sam could see tension in her back. From where he was standing, he could see the nails of her right hand digging into the flesh of her left elbow. Without asking, he knew: something was wrong with Erin. He didn't know what, but something had happened since the last time they had seen each other.

The thought made his blood run cold. He cleared his throat nervously, trying to keep an irrational panic out of his voice.

"Jo, did something happen? To Erin?"

That seemed to get her attention. She turned partially, just far enough to look at Sam over her shoulder. For the first time since they arrived, it struck him how hollow her face looked. It seemed like she was suffering from lack of sleep, among other things. Just what had happened?

"She's fine, don't worry. Just….come on, I'll tell you on the way." Without another word she started off, crossing the huge foyer to the second hall forking off from the left. At a loss for words, the boys followed her obediently. It wasn't until they caught up with her that she spoke again.

"Ever since that incident at the jail, she's been holing up in the basement. Everything: weapons, research, you name it, she's moved it down there. She spends most of her time down there, when she's not sleeping or practicing."

"So…she's back to the way she was before?" Dean gave his brother a concerned look.

When they had first met the brunette, she was sullen and withdrawn. Already unsure of her own mental facilities, their father's death had sent her into a crippling depression. She had become emotionless and distant, cutting herself off from other people and taking hunts alone. She only remotely trusted Jo, and even that trust was on thin ice. It had taken a long time for Erin to warm up to the brothers, and it wasn't until after their initial encounter with her sister that she even began to be candid with them.

Jo threw Dean a glance over shoulder when he spoke.

"Actually, she's been a lot better since the last time we saw you guys. I mean, losing the Roadhouse was hard on everyone, but otherwise she's been pretty normal. You know, like she was before John died." She paused respectfully.

Even though nothing in her demeanor was apparent, it seemed to Sam that Jo had changed. Watching the blonde walk down the hall ahead of them, Sam could see the tension in her back. Earlier, when she had first greeted them, her eyes looked dark and distant. Even her voice was lower, more solemn.

Sam had to wonder if Erin had changed too. The girl had been complex when they first met; had the recent events made her withdraw even more? Why else would she be holed up in the basement by herself, doing research? Was she pushing herself to take hunts? How was she doing? Did she blame him and Dean for how things were now, with demons running loose in the world? In the couple of months since he had seen her, Sam had frequently thought these things to himself.

"But, about a month ago, she went out on a hunt by herself. It wasn't anything major, you know. Just your run of the mill weather disturbances and disappearances. We both figured she could handle by herself. Besides, I had to work, and she wanted to get out of the house. So she took off by herself."

She made a left turn down another hallway, still talking.

"But when she came a week later……something was wrong. She was different." She stopped and turned around to face them suddenly. Her expression was half quizzical, half desperate.

"What do you know about Lilith?"

The question took Sam aback. Without a second thought, he responded immediately.

"She's…..a demon. One that's trying to establish a power base, or so we've heard."

Dean chimed in.

"And she's hell bent on Sammy's head on a platter. Why?"

Jo shook her head. Whether it was indication that she disagreed with their answers or a refusal to answer Dean's question, Sam couldn't tell. She turned around and started walking again. They followed once again, hoping she would tell them something useful. She didn't disappoint them.

"Erin….was attacked on that hunt. By Lilith, or so we think. Thing is, we know that Lilith is a high level demon. She probably could have killed Azazel if she had wanted to. But she didn't even _try_ to kill Erin. It was like….she just maimed her and let her go."

"Maimed?! What do you mean, maimed?!" Sam's heart jumped into his chest.

The blonde waved a dismissive hand over her shoulder.

"It's nothing. I said, she's fine. If you don't believe me, ask her yourself."

Reaching the end of the hall, the blonde threw open a worn looking oak door and stomped down the stairs, yelling Erin's name. From out of the dimly lit doorway drifted the sound of music, cranked up to maximum down in the basement.

As they passed the door to follow Jo down into the basement, Sam noticed a weathered Devil's trap drawn outside the door. There was also a Devil's Trap engraved on the door, the same variation Sam had used on the lockbox on the Impala. Underneath that was a Coptic Cross, engraved with Celtic knotwork.

Dean noticed Sam's interest in the symbols and gave an approving nod as they continued down the stairs.

"Whatever's down here, they sure as hell don't want demons getting it."

* * *

The two of them descended into the basement, Dean walking in front of his brother. As they neared the bottom of the stairs, the music became identifiable as Creedence Clearwater Revival. The sounds of "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" literally bounced off the walls of the underground room. It might have been the music that masked the sound of impending doom.

"You dumb bastard!"

A hand came out of nowhere, catching Dean across the back of his skull. Caught off-guard by the blitz attack, Sam dove awkwardly sideways to avoid being hit as well.

Before the older Winchester could react, the owner of the offending hand had grabbed him by the collar. Dragging him forward until they were inches apart, she began shaking him as hard as she could (which wasn't a lot, considering the fact that she a foot shorter and about 50 lbs. lighter).

She was livid.

"You. Are. A. Moron! What kind of a man are you? Do you have any idea what a pain in the ass you are? I can't believe an idiot like you had the thing to begin with! You ain't got to worry about your 10 months because I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you, you ignorant horn dog!"

Amused by her colorful description of Dean, Sam nevertheless stepped in to save his brother from the woman's wrath.

Calmly he grabbed her by the waist and, with some effort, managed to pry her off of Dean. Still keeping a firm grip on her, he moved back a couple of steps. Just in case.

She twisted futilely in his grip for a few minutes before resigning herself to hang lethargically like a sack of potatoes from his arm, glaring at the older Winchester the entire time.

Sam hadn't seen her in a couple of months, but even he was surprised how much she was changed in that time. Still holding her at bay, he stared at her in strange fascination.

Her hair was longer, almost to the middle of her back. The summer sun had given her natural highlights around her face, turning the strands a honey color. Her skin, fair to begin with, had been made even paler by the time she had spent inside in the basement. She even felt lighter, as if she hadn't been eating well. Still, she seemed to be in good health.

Of course, all the yelling wasn't good for her blood pressure.

Dean stared at the brunette in mild shock. Trying to keep his composure, he straightened his jacket and glared at her.

"What the hell was that about, Foster?"

Erin continued to glare at the older man, unable to reach him because of Sam's iron grip. Not that she didn't try her damndest to get away from him; her strength even surprised Sam. Instead, she settled for pointing at him accusingly.

"You let that pompous bitch Bela Talbot steal the Colt, that's what."

Sam gave his brother an unfazed look. The fact that the two girls knew about the Colt didn't surprise him in the least. After all, they talked to Bobby on a regular basis. Also unsurprising was the fact that they were pissed. Not that he blamed them.

Jo leaned against a table that looked to be littered with research materials and gave Dean a reproachful look.

"You are a moron. And don't give any excuses, 'cause you know you've screwed up."

To his surprise, Dean didn't say anything to the blonde. If anything, he actually looked contrite and somewhat reprimanded. _'When did Jo start wearing the pants?' _he thought to himself, amused. However, now was not the time to laugh at his brother.

"Look, it's not really Dean's fault. Bela tricked us."

Erin gave derisive snort from her current location.

"Yeah, that sounds like Bela, all right. Find a moron--..." She gave Dean a pointed look.

"And screw him out of whatever she wants."

"It sounds like you know her."

Sam reluctantly released the petite woman, confident she wasn't going to attack his brother again. If Jo and Erin did know Bela, he wouldn't be surprised. After all, the woman knew Bobby. It wouldn't be a shock that she knew other hunters, if only by reputation.

Erin huffed indignantly and folded her arms. Apparently, the name 'Bela Talbot' was not a welcomed one. Jo stepped in to explain.

"We know her. She's a liar and known thief. And Erin's had a problem with her ever since she sabotaged a case of ours in Louisiana."

"What happened?" Sam was curious; apparently, Bela made a habit of conning hunters.

Erin shifted her weight to one hip and stared off into space. It seemed the subject was a sore one for her.

"She broke into the weapons box in the Challenger and stole all the evidence we had. Gris-gris bag, voodoo dolls, sacrifices. You name it, Bela got it."

Jo nodded.

"Yeah, but what really upset Erin was the fact that Bela stole the most important item we had. We pretty sure it's what she was after to begin with."

"What was it?"

Erin gave another indignant snort. Dean shot her a silencing look, only to be met with a Ellen-worthy glare.

"Rain water, collected at midnight on the Feast of All Saints, at Marie Laveau's grave. The real one, not the one the tourists go to." She rolled her eyes and threw the brothers a bored look.

"That particular flask of water could wipe out a legion of demons, not to mention provide a pretty bargaining chip for information. But now that Bela's got it….." She trailed off, getting irritated all over again.

"It's probably in some weirdo's private collection by now. That bitch doesn't seem to realize that, by stealing all of these things from us, she's taking away the only way we have to fight these demons. Apparently, it hasn't occurred to her that when the world ends, her ass will die too!"

Sam patted the air, trying to placate the angry brunette. Inside his own mind he laughed. Despite outer appearances, Erin hadn't changed. Her temper was as violent as ever, and Dean was the frequent victim.

"Okay, calm down. Sorry for bringing her up. The point is, we don't have the Colt anymore."

At this remark, Dean received the 'Ellen' look from Jo. Erin, meanwhile, sighed heavily and put her hand to her forehead. It struck Sam how tired she looked, worse than Jo. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she seemed a little on-guard. Was it his imagination, or did she seem to be swaying a little, as if off-balance?

Out of instinctive concern, he put one hand on her elbow to steady her. In the back of his mind he noticed that the music had been turned down -possibly by Jo. The room had gotten a lot quieter, but the intelligible sounds of the music still seeped into the air.

Erin took a deep breath, and released it with a loud sigh. Feeling Sam's hand on her arm, she managed a slight apologetic smile.

"I--I'm sorry. It's just that……I've been really on edge the past few days. Guess the insomnia's catching up to me."

Dean shrugged nonchalantly, but Sam could see the concern on his brother's face. He couldn't explain it, but something about the way Erin had looked just now made him extremely uneasy.

"S'alright. It's probably just stress."

Jo nodded, albeit a little too enthusiastically; it was like she wanted to _believe_ what Dean had just said.

"That's probably all it is. I mean, you've been in here since last night." Her expression softened as she looked at her cousin.

"Why don't we all go upstairs and eat? We can talk about everything afterwards." She gave Sam a loaded look, one that said by everything, she meant the conversation they had had about Lilith's attack on Erin. Understanding, he nodded in agreement.

Dean stretched languorously and put his arm around the blonde beside him. His patent smirk was back.

"Sounds good to me! Besides, I'm starving."

"You're always starving."

"That's because all you ever feed me is beer and peanuts." The couple continued to argue as they left the room, Jo going up the stairs in front of Dean -gesturing all the way. As soon as they were out of hearing range, Erin let out another heavy sigh. But this one, much to Sam's relief, was full of muted irritation.

"I swear to God, if they are that loving the entire time you guys are here, somebody is going to die."

He chuckled in spite of himself.

"You sound like Dean."

"Yeah well, there's only so much bickering I can take. And for some reason, my span of patience of WAAAAY shorter with those two than anybody else I know." She shook her head wearily and started up the stairs.

"Come on. You're going to have to meet the rest of the asylum eventually."

"They're not that bad." He followed her up the staircase, much like Dean had done Jo.

"Oh no?" She threw him a look over her shoulder.

"Take the 'Stepford Wives' and mix them with 'Blade Runner'. That pretty much sums it up about my family. They'll bake cookies for the cake walk AND take you out with a sawed off 12 gauge."

"Okay. Creepy."

* * *

**Author's Note: I know that I changed the chapter and added some new things. But let me explain before you guys go postal on me. **

**While this story has been following the timeline of the show, it's about to veer drastically from the main storyline. One reason has to do with Lilith and her involvement in my story (yes, she will be showing up later). That's why I had to come back and add her to the initial conversation Jo has with the boys.**

**Another thing is Erin. There's going to be a lot of development between her and Sam as far as their abilities (as for their relationship, I'm not telling!). And yes, Kelsey -the little demonic cheerleader- will be making another appearance.**

**P.S.: I love you guys, and I love hearing your feedback. So go ahead, review to your little heart's content. I really like it when you guys speculate about what's going to happen next in the story! Sometimes you even give me ideas, so I can honestly say your feedback helps. By the way, if I derive a concept for the storyline form something you say, I'll try to remember and give you credit for it in my notes. I feel bad when I use some else's good idea and don't thank them. If you see something in the idea that you mentioned to me, feel free to remind me WHO GAVE ME THE IDEA! **


	3. Chapter 3

"Holy shit."

"Dean!" Jo gave the elder Winchester a smack on the arm, warning him to watch his language.

"What? I can't help it; that's a lot of freaking people!" He gestured incredulously to the scene in front of them.

Four white picnic tables were set up in the spacious backyard, two on each side of the back steps. At the end of the makeshift aisle was an expensive-looking grill, which was manned by Dylan and an older man with graying hair. More people, at least two dozen, were seated at the tables. Or they were, until the two of them stepped out onto the porch.

As soon as Jo and Dean were joined by Erin and Sam, everyone in the vicinity of the porch fell silent. And then, almost as a group, they stood. Dean heard an impatient sigh from behind him.

"Great. They're treating you like freaking royalty. Like Dean's head needs a reason to be any bigger."

He started to protest, but was cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat to the right of him.

"You shouldn't talk to guests like that, Erin. Especially handsome boys like these."

An older woman stood by the railing of the porch with her arms folded, a cigarette in her left hand. She was dressed in a blue flowered sundress with a faded pink apron over it.

She was about Erin's height or a little taller, and around the same size. Her hair, probably once a dirty blonde, was now almost platinum. It was cropped in a pixy-cut usually seen on younger women. The look, however, suited her however. She seemed dignified and at the same time, warm.

Erin flushed a little and gave the woman a deferring look. She looked embarrassed.

"Sorry, Vivi."

For a moment, the woman did nothing. Taking another drag off the cigarette in her hand, she carelessly tossed it into the yard. Slowly she crossed the distance between them and stopped in front of the small group. Yet, instead of looking at the two men, she focused on the brunette woman. She regarded the girl seriously for a moment, before suddenly reaching out to grab her ear.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Just because John's boys are here does NOT mean you can be informal with me, young lady! Don't you dare let me hear you call me 'Vivi' as long as I live. Do you understand me, Erin Meredith Foster? Be respectful of your elders, damn it!"

"Ow, Ow, Ow, let go of my ear!"

"Not until you promise!"

"OKAY! I PROMISE! NOW, LET GO OF MY EAR!"

With a final tug, the older woman let go of the girl's ear. Erin, having been released, stood back up straight and clapped her left hand over her throbbing her. She glared obstinately at the woman.

"Damn it; Mom, that hurt!"

Viviane just gave her daughter a cool look.

"I raised you for almost 10 years. I fed you, gave you clothes, and made sure you were safe. You bet your ass its 'Mom'. And you better not let me hear anything else come out of your mouth. Do you understand me, young lady?"

"I understand. Just don't pull my damn ear."

"Keeping cussing me at me, and I'll give the other side of your head a reason to hurt."

If Erin had a smart comeback, she didn't share it. Instead, she folded her arms and sulked off to the side while Viviane observed the two men in front of her. Far from warm, she now looked like a hawk observing her prey. Although his brother was probably used to this type of look from a girl's mother, Sam was not. He willed himself to not step back from the woman.

"…So, you're John Winchester's boys."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. In the back of his mind, Sam realized that none of the women in Jo's family had ever asked if they were John's kids; they just kind of stated it. He had to wonder if they both looked that much like their father, or if these women had some kind of strange sixth sense about things like that.

Even if it wasn't a question, he felt compelled to answer her anyway, out of respect. It would probably elicit some smart ass remark from Dean about being a kiss-ass, but he really didn't care.

"Yes ma'am."

There it was: the little sideways smirk on his brother's face. Damn it, couldn't he be a little more mature about things every once in a while? Inside his head, Sam sighed.

Having gotten a response, Viviane focused on Sam -much to his chagrin. Earlier, he had wondered why Erin hadn't snapped back at her mother. Not that he expected Erin to be disrespectful, but he knew the girl's temper. Now, with her full attention solely on him, Sam knew why the brunette hadn't said anything to Mrs. Viviane Arlington.

She was scary.

This was worse than the 'Ellen' look, to be sure. Sam couldn't tell if she was just studying him, or trying to somehow make his head explode through some weird Jedi-mind trick. Either way, it was unnerving.

"You must be Sam."

Again, not a question. Instead of answering, Sam chose to stay silent this time. Hopefully, she'd become bored with him and move on. Her stare was really starting to make him nervous. Thankfully, his brother stepped in.

"Hi, I'm Dean. Thanks for asking." He waved his left hand through the air between his younger brother and the woman, apparently miffed that Sam was getting all the attention.

Immediately, Viviane switched gears and swung her gaze onto the older man. She gave him a roving once-over, from the bottom of his boots all the way to the top of his head. Finally, she focused on his face. Dean smirked good-naturedly at her.

"Wait your turn, smart ass." She leaned slightly to the left to look around Dean at the blonde on his far left.

"Jo honey, you're right. That ass doesn't make up for that mouth."

Jo cracked up; Dean, meanwhile, turned a strange shade of pink. Even Sam choked back laughter at his brother.

"Mother, leave Dean alone."

Erin had apparently recovered from her earlier embarrassment. She moved closer to the group and gave Viviane a reproving look.

"He was just saying hello. You didn't have to say that to him. Even if it is true."

"What am I, a slab of meat?"

Jo ran around in front of Dean and placed both hands on his chest. Whether she was trying to placate him or hold him off of Viviane, Sam wasn't sure. Still trying to keep from giggling, she looked at her foster aunt over her shoulder.

"Aunt Viv, do you have to upset every man I bring to visit your house?"

"Hey! Just how many guys have you brought here?"

At least Dean was distracted from the ass comment. Sam shook his head at his brother's antics, but inside he felt comforted. If Dean could still be this relaxed -given his current situation- maybe there was still hope.

Meanwhile, Viviane had apparently gotten tired of giving them a scrutiny. Breezing past both brothers, she walked down the back steps into the yard and motioned for them to follow. Erin trailed her mother obediently -followed by Sam- and then, reluctantly, by Jo and Dean.

"Come on; let's introduce you to the rest of the family."

She stopped by the first table, which seemed to be full of kids. Not one of them looked older than 12, Sam absentmindedly calculated. Among them were the twins they had met at the front door.

"You boys already met Drake and Seth." She nodded to the two boys roughhousing at the end of the table. If they heard their names, they didn't acknowledge it. Viviane continued.

"I'd like you to meet the others."

Sam mentally made a note of the kids' names in his head; although he was pretty sure he'd forget them.

William: 7. A small tow-headed boy, named for Jo's father. He was also Vivi's biological son.

Meghan: 6. A chubby little redhead, a foster child.

Rudi: 5. A small but happy child that seemed more interested in gnawing his fist than anything else. He was adopted.

Finishing there, Viviane swept away to the next table. Sam noticed that it was also full of kids, although they were slightly older than the first set. Viviane began naming them off, and Sam tried to keep up.

Leslie: 13, dressed in a blue hoodie and denim shorts. Adopted.

Jesse & Andrew: 12, another set of twins -fraternal. Viviane's biological sons.

Mikayla: 12, at the moment wearing what appeared to be her older brother's shirt as a bathing suit cover-up. Adopted.

Next table: Now they were up to teenagers, thankfully.

Juno: 18. Small brunette with heavy eyeliner and an entire outfit made of black and grommets. Oldest biological daughter.

Sarah: 14. Biological daughter; way different than her older sister. She was dressed in a pink track suit and looked extremely bored.

Ellie: 17. A miniature version of Jo. Bright blonde, she was wearing a faded Metallica tee-shirt. Foster daughter.

"And finally-..." Viviane breezed over to the last table, which was right by the grill. At it sat two men: Dylan, who was apparently the eldest -adopted or otherwise- and another guy who looked to be around Erin's age. He had dark black hair and was currently engaged in struggle to keep Erin from sneaking food off his plate.

"You met Dylan earlier. But this is Erick, my second eldest son." She gave a small sigh at the man, who had managed to keep his sister away from his plate by holding it as far away as he could while restraining her with one hand.

"He's just home from college, so…..Erin quit tormenting your brother!"

"I'm hungry, damn it! I've been locked in that basement forever, and you guys didn't say anything about freaking BQQ!"

"Erin, honey, I already fixed you a plate."

The man who Sam had noticed earlier spoke up from the grill. Up close, Sam could see that he was a lot younger than he looked. The gray at his temples and the lines around his eyes and mouth made him seemed elderly. Still, he had to be older than Bobby.

Catching the younger Winchester's eye, the man smiled warmly. For a moment, it seemed like he resembled John, and Sam's chest hurt just a bit.

"Hey there. You must be Sam." He stepped forward and put his hand out congenially. Sam took it without hesitation.

"I'm Monroe Arlington. I got to say, it's good to finally meet you boys." Letting go of Sam's hand, he took Dean's and shook it as well. Dean returned the older man's smile with a grin of his own.

"Same here, Monroe."

Sam spoke up from beside his brother, not sure why he felt the need to say something.

"Erin's told us a lot about you. You're a preacher, right?"

Letting go of Dean's hand, Monroe turned his attention back to Sam to answer his question. He seemed pleased that Sam knew.

"Actually, I'm an ordained priest in the Roman Catholic church. Or, I was. Now, I just have a small congregation in town here." He smiled sadly for a moment before clapping Sam on the shoulder amiably.

"But enough about this old geezer. I'm just glad you boys have been able to survive these two harpies." He gave the brunette and blonde a teasing look.

Erin gave him a blank stare from her position by the grill. She aimlessly chewed on a toothpick stuck in her mouth.

"We're not as bad as Ellen and Mom, and you know it."

"Yeah, I know. But anyway, let me quit jawing so you boys can get something to eat." Rummaging around on the table beside the grill, he produced two paper plates. He presented them to the two, and stepped aside.

"Here ya go. Help yourselves; there's plenty there."

"Don't tell Dean that -there won't be any food left."

Erin stood up on the bench and perched on the edge of the table by her brother's plate, allowing Jo a place to sit. The others followed suit, after grabbing their respective plates. As Sam began to eat, he couldn't help feeling like this was the closest to home cooking they'd had in...forever. The thought made him smile. Home.

* * *

**Author's Note: OMG, I updated! Does anybody even read this anymore? Oh crap, now I have to go watch like, two seasons of SN to even remember what the hell the storyline was...Sorry, guys!**


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